Method of packaging foodstuffs



Nov. 6, 1951 w. A. REED 2,573,872

METHOD OF PACKAGING oonscpuws 2 Sl-lEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 2, 1947 INVENTOR WILL/HM 1). P550 RNEY Nov. 6, 1951 w. A. REED v 2,573,872

' METHOD'OF PACKAGINGVFOODSTUFFS v Piped June 2, 1947 Z SHEETS SHEET 2 v INVENTOR WILL/AM 4. P550 Patented Nov. 6, i fill UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF PACKAGING FOODSTUFFS William A. Reed, Larchmont, N. Y.

Application June 2, 1947, Serial No. 751,669

(01. sis-171i 3 Claims.

This invention relates primarily to the packaging of foodstuffs and is especially useful for the delivery of prepared pie crust mixture into commercial packages. such mixtures in dry prepared condition so that the housewife merely adds water thereto for the preparation of dough for pie crust. These mixtures are manufactured in relatively large bulk and are thereafter fed from appropriate hoppers into successive packages which are generally in the form of cardboard boxes with a paper bag liner. After the packages are filled from the hopper as stated, the package liner is closed and the box is sealed for the market.

Pie crust mixtures present a troublesome problem in packaging. They contain appreciable amounts of shortening, usually in the form of vegetable fats or hydrogenated oils. When such mixtures are fed from a hopper into a package, they tend to agglomerate, bulk and adhere to the walls of the passage through which they are fed to the package so that it has generally been considered necessary to use feeders of one kind or another to insure the delivery into the package. Plungers, screw feeders, and other forms of conveyors have commonly been used for this purpose.

Such feeders are, however, not satisfactory for they apply more or less pressure to the material and the application of such pressure acts upon the shortening in a manner to cause it to liquefy and run. This liquid enters the package, with the result that, after the package has been sealed for the market, the liquid solidifies and converts the contents of the package into a hard, solid lump which becomes firmly adhered to the liner of the package. When the housewife attempts to use the material in this condition, much difiiculty is experienced in removing the material from the package and liner and in breaking up the contents sufiiciently to make satisfactory pie crust. In many instances, portions of the mixture are apt to be left attached to the liner so, that, when the housewife adds the amount of water called for by the directions, this quantity of water is too large for the quantity of mixture employed and an unsatisfactory crust results.

There has long been a pronounced need for an efficient method and apparatus of packaging pie crust and other mixtures of like characteristics but, prior to this invention, so far as I am aware, there has been no satisfactory solution of this problem.

As a result of prolonged research, experimenta- It is the practice to market 2 tions, and numerous tests, I have discovered a satisfactory way to handle material of the character described and this way constitutes the method of this invention which, speaking generally, comprises an active flufllng of the mixture within a walled zone of agitation, and the discharge of such material, while it is kept in motion and in fluffed condition, from such zone, directly into the package. In the preferred manner of practically carrying out this method, the material is agitated, while in dry condition, in an appropriate vessel by the use of one or more agitators operating at sumcient speed to fluff the material and divided it into discrete particles, separate fro mone another and in continuous motion and, while thus in motion, these discrete particles are suddenly released by opening an outlet in the vessel so that, without arresting their movement, they are caused to pass directly through the outlet into the package and are not permitted to come to rest at any time until they come to the final position of rest within the package. They do not pass through chutes or passages and are at no time subjected to any pressure so that the mixture remains uniform and no liquefication of the shortening occurs.

Pie crust and similar mixtures, packaged in the manner described, will not form a hard unbreakable lump in the package, nor will they adhere to the liner thereof. When such a package is opened by the housewife, the material may be readily broken up and mixed with water to form it into smooth dough. This invention has materially assisted in the packaging of mixtures of the character specified and has made it possible to deliver to the housewife a better product than heretofore commercially practical.

Features of the invention other than those described will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings show one form of apparatus which is well adapted to carry out the method of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits'of the invention.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through apparatus embodying the present invention showing a bag liner in position to receive material from the flufling bowl.

Fig. 1a shows the type of bag liner illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the bottom and a part of the side wall of a flufllng ure 2 the closure flaps are shown in closed position.

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2, but showing the flaps in open position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the bowl indicating various successive positions of the agitator as it is rotated and gyrated about the interior of the bowl.

Various forms of apparatus may be utilized in carrying out the method of the present invention. I find it convenient, however, to deliver the mixture to a package liner C from a flufllng bowl I. Above and rigid with the bowl is an electric motor 2 adapted to drive a beater or agitator 3, through a transmission unit 4. This unit is of the type adapted to impart rotary movement to the beater about its own axis while moving said beater in a planetary path about the axis of the motor. Transmission units, such as indicated at 4, are well known and need not be shown nor described in detail. I

The heater is of a shape to substantially conform with the interior surface of the bottom and side walls of the bowl and it is preferably of such size and so positioned that it overlaps the axis of the bowl so that one complete gyration about the interior of the bowl will cause the beater to cover or traverse the entire bottom of the bowl as graphically illustrated in Figure 4. In this way, all portions of the surface of the bowl are subjected to the scouring action of the agitated material and kept free from deposits even though the beater does not actually contact with the walls of the bowl.

As shown in Figure 1, the central position of the bottom of the bowl is axially cut away at 5, to provide an outlet opening. This opening may be of any desired shape, but it is convenient to make it rectangular. It is normally closed by a valve, formed by two closure flaps 6 and I which form, in effect, the central portion of the bottom wall of the bowl. When closed, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, they constitute practically a continuation of the uncut portion of the bottom of the bowl so that their upper faces are thus subjected to the scouring action by the moving material in the bowl and thus kept clean and free of deposits.

The two closure flaps 6 and I are supported for pivotal movement on parallel shafts 8 and 8, respectively, which are, in turn, journalled for rotation in any suitable bearings I0. to permit these flaps-to be moved from the closed position of Figure 2 to the open position of Figure 3 and vice versa. The flaps may be thus operated by any appropriate mechanical, electrical or pneumatic means but I prefer an electrically controlled operation because of its simplicity and ease of timing.

To the ends of the shafts 8 and 9 are afllxed operating arms II and I2, respectively, and these arms are connected by links I3 to the stem ll of a solenoid core IS. The coil I5a of this solenoid is electrically connected with an appropriate timer I6 which controls the opening and closing of the flaps.

When the container C is positioned as shown in Figure 1, the solenoid core is energized and its core I5 drawn in to exert a pull on the links I3 and thus rotate the shafts 8 and 9 for the purpose of movingthe flaps 6 and I from the closed portion of Figure 2, to the open position of 4 Figure 3. After the desired amount of material has been discharged into the container C, the solenoid is de-energized at the timer I6 and a spring I! acts to restore the solenoid to the position shown in Figure 1 with a co-incident thrust on the links I3 to close the flaps.

Material may be supplied to the bowl either manually or automatically to provide suflicient material therein for feeding to the packages at all times during the operation of the apparatus.

When the apparatus thus far described is in operation, the heater 8 acts upon the material in the bowl to swirl that portion of the material with which it is momentarily in contact and progressively move through a horizontal planetary orbit into contact with successive annularly placed portions of such material. This operation proceeds at sufficient speed to thoroughly agitate the mixture into a fluify condition with all particles thereof in continuous movement. This movement is predominantly toward the axis of the bowl, 1. e., in the direction of the discharge opening 6. Thus, when the flaps 6 and I are suddenly opened, the material actually pours through the opening directly into the container C in discrete particles, the motion of which is not arrested until the particles come to rest in their ultimate position within such container. Should any of this material strike against the closure flaps and adhere thereto while they are open, the subsequent closing thereof will bring this adhered material into the agitation zone within the bowl, with the result that the flaps will be immediately cleared of these deposits before they are again opened.

In addition to the closure valves at the bottom of the bowl, I may use bag opening and distending devices, the purpose of which is primarily to insure the complete opening of gusset bags which are frequently used as packaging liners. These bag opening devices are shown in the drawin in the form of two triangular plates I8 and I9. They are afllxed to parallel shafts 20 and 2| arranged in perpendicular relation to the shafts B and 9 and spaced apart a greater distance than the length of the flaps 6 and I and beneath the latter,

with the free ends or points of the plates I8 and I9 substantially touching one another when said plates are in the raised position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The two shafts 20 and 2|, are, like the shafts 8 and 9, mounted in fixed bearings and are provided with operating arms 12 and 23,

respectively. These arms, like the arms II and I2, are connected by links 24 to the stem 25 of a normally spring retracted solenoid core 28.

The use of the bag opening flaps I8 and I9 is of particular advantage when the container C is of the gusset bag variety, 1. e., of the kind shown in Figure la. When such a bag is positioned be: neath the discharge outlet 5, it is desirable that the gussets c at the opposite sides of the bag be fully distended before the material is discharged into the bag. This is accomplished by the plates I8 and I9, for, as these triangular plates swing down on their shafts 20 and II, their points enter the bag first and, by continued swinging movement, the plates force the gussets outwardly and distend the bag, so that, as the flaps 6 and 1 swing down, they are received into the interior of the bag and help to hold the corresponding side walls of the bag apart, to insure that the material falls freely into the bag.

It is found, in practice, that when the material is discharged from the opening 5 directly into the bag and past the flaps 6 and I and plates I8 may)? and IS, the latter are sufilciently removed from the path of the material as not to accumulate any deposits thereon. However, if desired, the bag opening plates may be positioned sufficiently close to the ends of the closure flaps that said closure flaps will have a rubbing coaction with the adjacent surfaces thereof so as to insure that they be kept clear ofeven the slightest deposit of material. Any particles of material which adhere to the flaps during this discharge will be scoured therefrom when they are closed, as hereinbefore stated.

The apparatus shown in the drawings effectually operates to carry out the method of this invention. It keeps the material in fluifed condition and in motion so that it is discharged directly into the bag or other container without traversing any intermediate passage and without arresting the movement of the material. This is accomplished without subjecting the material to any pressure that would liquefy the shortening therein and thus the material is deposited in the package in discrete particles. These particles may be packed tightly in the package and yet will not form therein that hard mass of flour practice.

In the foregoing specification, I have described the use of the method and apparatus of this invention in the packaging of pie crust mixture and similar compositions for it was for this purpose that the present invention was primarily conceived. However, I am aware that the method and apparatus herein disclosed may be used to advantage in packaging other materials without departing from this invention, which is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of packaging pie crust mixture including shortening, which comprises: agitating the entire mass of mixture within a confined space to divide it into discrete particles separate from one another and thereafter keep the entire mass of the mixture in fluffed condition while causing it to constantly move toward the center of said space, and thereupon discharging said in congealed shortening, so common under prior mixture in flufied condition through the center of the bottom of such space directly into a sub- Jacent package container while such agitation is continued, whereby all portions of such mixture are kept in constant motion and in flufl'ed condition until the mixture comes to restin the v package container.

2. The method of packaging pie crust mixture including shortening, which comprises: agitating the mixture within a confined space by swirling successive annular portions thereof throughout a horizontal planetary orbit to fluff the entire mass of such mixture and divide it into discrete particles separate from one another and in continuous motion, and thereupon opening a centrally located section of the floor of such space beneath and in contact with the swirling mass to gravitationally divert the horizontally swirling discrete particles of such mixture in flutied condition downwardly and directly into a subjac'ent package container without arresting the continuous motion of such mixture.

3. The method of packaging pie crust mixture including shortening, which comprises: rapidly agitating all portions of a mass of such mixture, within a vessel, to divide said mass into discrete particles in flufled condition and in continuous motion, and thereupon discharging a predetermined quantity of such discrete particles from the. vessel directly into a package container without arresting the motion thereof until they come to rest in the container.

WILLIAM A. REED.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in'the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. THE METHOD OF PACKAGING PIE CRUST MIXTURE INCLUDING SHORTENING, WHICH COMPRISES: AGITATING THE ENTIRE MASS OF MIXTURE WITHIN A CONFINED SPACE TO DIVIDE IN INTO DISCRETE PARTICLES SEPARATE FROM ONE ANOTHER AND THEREAFTER KEEP THE ENTIRE MASS OF THE MIXTURE IN FLUFFED CONDITION WHILE CAUSING IT TO CONSTANTLY MOVE TOWARD THE CENTER OF SAID SPACE, AND THEREUPON DISCHARGING SAID MIXTURE IN FLUFFED CONDITION THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE BOTTOM OF SUCH SPACE DIRECTLY INTO A SUBJACENT PACKAGE CONTAINER WHILE SUCH AGITATION IS 